ABSTRACT
The narrative of Russia’s resurgence as an influential player in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has been widely discussed, especially since Moscow’s military intervention in Syria in 2015. However, what does it mean to have Russia “back”? Is this a real “return,” or is it rather a new phase in a long-lasting relationship which was merely dormant during Russia’s “dark era” of the 1990s? This chapter argues that while cooperation with the MENA countries was reduced dramatically throughout that entire decade at least, it was never cut off completely. Indeed, the foundations for the development of today’s Russian MENA policy had already been established by Russian leaders long before Russia renewed its engagement in the region in the 2010s. At the same time, the authors offer a “historical tool” for reading the following chapters in this volume, which focus mostly on the post-Arab uprisings period since 2011. Delineating a historical and analytical background will illuminate the main dynamics that have affected the MENA region and Russia over the past three decades and can provide insights on the factors that have determined Moscow’s current posture towards the region.
